§12-7-5. Management and control of jobs investment trust vested in board; officers; liability; authority of executive director to act on behalf of board; relationship to higher education institutions.

(a) It is the duty of the board to manage and control the Jobs Investment Trust. With the advice and consent of the Senate, the Governor appoints an executive director of the Jobs Investment Trust who is or has been a senior executive of a major financial institution, brokerage firm, investment firm or similar institution, with extensive experience in capital market development. The director serves at the Governor’s will and pleasure and is responsible for managing and administering the daily functions of the Jobs Investment Trust and for performing other functions necessary to the effective operation of the trust. The compensation of the director is annually fixed by the board.

(b) The board annually elects a secretary to keep a record of the proceedings of the board, who need not be a member of the board.

(c) The members and officers of the board are not liable personally, either jointly or severally, for any debt or obligation created by the board.

(d) The acts of the board are solely the acts of its corporation and are not those of an agent of the state. A debt or obligation of the board is not a debt or obligation of the state.

(e) Upon the affirmative vote of at least a majority of those members in attendance in a meeting of the board, the board may approve any action to be taken and authorize the executive director for and on behalf of the board to execute and deliver all instruments, agreements, or other documents that are required or are reasonably necessary to effectuate the decisions or acts of the board.

(f) The West Virginia Economic Development Authority shall provide office space and staff support services for the director and the board shall act as fiscal agent for the board and, as such, shall provide accounting services for the board, invest all funds as directed by the board, service all investment activities of the board, and shall make the disbursements of all funds as directed by the board, for which the West Virginia Economic Development Authority shall be reasonably compensated as determined by the board.

(g) The board and the executive director shall involve students and faculty members of state institutions of higher education in the board’s activities in order to enhance the opportunities at the institutions for learning and for participation in the board’s investment activities and in the economic development of the state, whether in research, financial analysis, management participation, or in such other ways as the board and the executive director may find appropriate.